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Get to know our director/producer, Corey Kupfer, as he shares his outlook on the moviemaking world from directing, casting, and the film/digital debate.

What type of camera(s) do you like to use? and why?

Using any film camera is like eating a strawberry right off the vine after years of this:

Film is a simple, reliable craft with an infinitely complex image that can be taken advantage in a post-process using a Spirit telecine in a way that digital simply cannot. There is also a misunderstanding because of bad megaplex projection and improper shooting that film is meant to be “grainy” and that that is the allure. Well shot and projected or digitized film is not more “grainy” than digital is “noisy.” 35mm film, developed in the late 1800s, has a resolution (where film grain meets digital noise) of 6-8K. The current shooting standard of digital for cinema is 5k, and projection is 2-4k. And then there’s 70mm film made popular recently by Christopher Nolan, Quentin Tarantino and Paul Thomas Anderson, which has twice the resolution (and there’s a popular 65mm digital equivalent). Forget all this mumbo jumbo. Film has looks and feels. It’s sexy.

Still from Corey’s short Nindy

What is the best casting resource?

A great Casting Director. Probably the most respected CD currently at work is the genius behind Paul Thomas Anderson’s films, Cassandra Kulukundis, who is notorious for relentlessly searching the theater scene big and small for new talent. Another noteworthy CD is the two-time Emmy-nominated Gayle Keller who took Louis CK’s Louie to another level of brilliance.

What stands out to you in the casting room?

Lack of effort, and lack of talent–to be a bit harsh. I would argue that what makes great talent stand out is how few there are getting their shot. American acting is bogged down by an agency-ruled industry where actors are made for arbitrary things like Instagram followers, pretty print model faces and ideas of what looks are “in.”

Corey and actress Delaney Hagfeldt rehearsing

What tips do you have for directing actors?

There is no one answer to this question, the intricacy to a properly prepared film role relies on infinite factors. You can never be fully prepared for a role, you can only do the best you can with the time you have–I mean, if you’re doing it right, you’re attempting to prepare an entire life to live on screen. Great directing is understanding and mastering this idea, and the research, education, and experimentation never ends, ever. Every director should have a method, just as actors, and it’s constantly evolving. If there’s a directing or acting book you haven’t read, it needs to be read. If you haven’t seen every film by Elia Kazan and John Cassavetes etc. etc., you need to see them.

John CassavetesElia Kazan

In sum, Corey is a great up and coming director we are really proud to have on our team. His specialities include writing, directing, and blah. Here’s some links to some of his recent work with ITF. He is currently casting and developing a feature film called Heart of Man we are excited to see come to life!